Stamp duty in Ireland explained
When you buy a home in Ireland you’ll have to pay a tax called stamp duty. Here’s how stamp duty works and how much it’ll cost you.
What is stamp duty?
It’s a tax you have to pay when you transfer ownership of a property and other assets in Ireland.
Stamp duty is due when a Deed of Transfer or Deed of Conveyance is required to transfer ownership. Some examples of where stamp duty might be owed include:
Stamp duty calculator
You can enter the purchase price of your property in our stamp duty calculator below to find out how much you’ll have to pay.
How much is stamp duty in Ireland?
When you’re buying a home, stamp duty rates depend on the value of the property. The following rates were introduced in Budget 2025 (applicable from 2 October 2024).
| Portion of Purchase Price | Rate |
|---|---|
| First €1 million | 1% |
| From €1 million to €1.5 million | 2% |
| Above €1.5 million | 6% |
For example, if you bought a home for €500,000, the stamp duty due would be €5,000.
Source: Revenue.ie Stamp Duty and property
What about multiple properties?
Stamp duty on multiple properties increased from 10% to 15% on 2 October 2024.
A higher 15% rate now applies when 10 or more residential units (houses/duplexes) are acquired within any 12-month period, replacing the previous 10% rate.
Apartments and bulk purchases made by local authorities or housing bodies are exempt from this higher rate tax.
There are transitional arrangements if you had a contract in place before 2 October 2024.
Stamp duty on new homes
If you’re buying a new build property, the stamp duty is calculated on the net price before VAT and is therefore a little lower.
While the stamp duty rate for new homes is the same, it is only applied to the property price minus VAT, which is currently 13.5%.
For example, if you bought a new build home for €500,000 the stamp duty due would be €4,405.
Stamp duty rates
1%
Homes under €1m
2%
Homes €1 to €1.5m
6%
Homes over €1.5m
15%
10+ houses in 12 months
Who has to pay the stamp duty?
It depends on the transaction taking place.
In each transaction there is an accountable person who is responsible for paying any stamp duty owed.
For example, when you’re transferring the ownership of a property, it is usually the purchaser or transferee (the person buying the property) who has to pay the stamp duty.
- If you’re renting a property, the tenant is the accountable person
- If the property being transferred is a gift, all parties are considered to be accountable
When more than one person is classed as the accountable person, they’re jointly and severally liable.
Do first time buyers have to pay stamp duty?
Yes, first time buyers do have to pay stamp duty when they are classified as the accountable person. This is usually the case when buying a property.
When is stamp duty due?
Your exact stamp duty bill is usually calculated by your solicitor and requested before the sale is closed.
Your solicitor will then transfer the funds to the Revenue Commissioners who stamp the property deeds so they can be registered in your name.
Stamp duty exemptions
There are some circumstances when transactions are exempt from stamp duty altogether. These include:
- Transfers & leases of property between spouses and civil partners
- Property transferred following a divorce or the dissolution of a civil partnership
- If you are buying your home under the local authority tenant purchase scheme, you’ll pay a maximum sum of €100
- Property transferred by a cohabitant to another cohabitant following a Property Adjustment Order
There are also some reductions available when family members transfer ownership of farm land, you can find out more on the Revenue.ie website.
Inherited property and stamp duty
You don’t pay stamp duty on a property you inherit through a will or the rules of intestacy (when someone dies without a will).
However, if you receive more than what you were legally entitled to inherit under the will or intestacy rules, you must pay stamp duty on the additional amount.
In those circumstances, stamp duty is applied, but only to the portion of the property’s value that goes beyond your stated inheritance.
Stamp duty FAQs
Do farmers pay stamp duty?
Yes, but several forms of relief are available from the government to reduce the amount of stamp duty farmers have to pay on certain transactions. These reliefs include:
- Farm Consolidation Relief
- Relief for leases of farmland
- Consanguinity relief
- Young Trained Farmer Relief
You can find out more about these different types of relief for farmers on the Revenue.ie website.
Do I have to pay stamp duty on stocks and shares?
Yes, you have to pay stamp duty when you buy stocks, shares and other marketable securities traded on the Irish Stock exchange.
You don’t have to pay stamp duty on the issue of new shares.
You can find out more on the Revenue.ie website.
What is Farm Consolidation Relief?
It is a stamp duty relief available to Irish farmers who are selling and then buying farmland to consolidate their holdings.
You can find out more about Farm Consolidation relief on the Revenue.ie website.
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